British tourist fined on Bucharest bus claims he was trying to pay

A British tourist's first day in Bucharest took an unwelcome turn when he was fined 80 lei on a public bus, an experience he shared on social media. The tourist, visiting Romania for the first time, stated that he was attempting to pay his fare when his card was repeatedly rejected.

According to his account, a bus inspector approached him after noticing his payment issue. The tourist, who was not initially aware the man was an inspector, explained he was a foreigner. Using Google Translate, the inspector reportedly indicated that payment needed to be made via his phone. The tourist understood this as a solution to his payment problem, not as the precursor to a fine.

"I had been in Bucharest for less than 24 hours. For the first time. I got on the bus and it took me about a minute to pay. I tried to pay, but the card kept getting rejected. There was a controller there (before I realized who he was) talking to some foreigners, and they were ignoring him. As soon as he saw my card was rejected, he ran towards me. I didn't know exactly what he wanted, but I explained that I was a tourist. Then he spoke to me using Google Translate and explained that I had to pay on his phone. I thought it was okay and held the card up, and in the end, he charged me 80 lei and registered it as a fine. Security cameras would clearly show that I was trying to pay before interacting with this man," the tourist wrote on Reddit.

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I had been in Bucharest for less than 24 hours. For the first time. I got on the bus and it took me about a minute to pay. I tried to pay, but the card kept getting rejected. There was a controller there (before I realized who he was) talking to some foreigners, and they were ignoring him. As soon as he saw my card was rejected, he ran towards me. I didn't know exactly what he wanted, but I explained that I was a tourist. Then he spoke to me using Google Translate and explained that I had to pay on his phone. I thought it was okay and held the card up, and in the end, he charged me 80 lei and registered it as a fine. Security cameras would clearly show that I was trying to pay before interacting with this man.

He expressed feeling that the inspector abused his power, especially after learning the inspector might have blocked the payment systems for other passengers. "If he had blocked the machines for other passengers, he shouldn't have prevented me from paying the normal way. Besides, he didn't explain to me that it was a fine, just that I had to pay with the card. I thought he was helping me because my card had been rejected," he added.

The tourist's story resonated with many, prompting numerous comments on Reddit. Several users shared their own negative encounters with Bucharest's public transport inspectors, describing them as unfair, rude, and sometimes selective in issuing fines. Some users offered advice on ticket purchases and validation, while others suggested filing a complaint with STB, the public transport company.

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I felt that he abused his power, especially after I found out that he had blocked the system while I was trying to pay. If he had blocked the machines for other passengers, he shouldn't have prevented me from paying the normal way. Besides, he didn't explain to me that it was a fine, just that I had to pay with the card. I thought he was helping me because my card had been rejected.